Retired Bombay HC Judge Gautam Patel Alleges Threats; Daughter Attacked in London

Retired Bombay High Court judge Gautam Patel has claimed that he and his family have been receiving threats for the past 10 months. According to Justice Patel, these threats are connected to his August 2024 verdict in the Dawoodi Bohra community's succession dispute. In his ruling, he had declared Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the community's 53rd Dai-al-Mutlaq, rejecting claims made by Khuzaima Qutbuddin and later his son Taher Fakhruddin.

Justice Patel stated that after delivering the verdict, he began receiving threatening messages. In September 2025, he received a letter demanding that he retract his decision through a public video, claiming he was coerced into it. The threats escalated when his daughter, Aditi Patel, was attacked in London on April 22, 2026. She was assaulted by an unknown individual while returning home after dropping her child at school, resulting in a fractured nasal bone. UK police are investigating the incident and its possible connection to the earlier threats.

On June 5, 2026, Aditi Patel received another anonymous letter. The letter demanded that Justice Patel retract his April 2024 decision via a YouTube video, threatening harm to the family if he failed to comply. It also included an SD card and mentioned the involvement of a gang. Following these incidents, Aditi Patel and her husband filed a complaint with UK police. The West Hertfordshire Counter-Terrorism Unit is reviewing the April 22 attack.

Justice Patel has informed the Indian High Commission in London, the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, and the Chief Justice of India, Suryakant, about the matter. He emphasized that as a retired judge, he cannot reverse a High Court decision through a video. He also noted that while authorities have been cooperative, their jurisdiction is limited to India.